Little League Softball™ World Series Celebrates 20 Years at Alpenrose Stadium

In August, Little League Softball™ celebrated its 20th year of World Series championships on Alpenrose Stadium at Alpenrose Dairy in Portland, Ore.

For two decades, the Little League Softball World Series, was played in Kalamazoo, Mich. In 1994, the series set its sights on hosting one of the biggest Little League Softball tournaments inside the fences of Alpenrose Dairy.

“Alpenrose Stadium has been a wonderful home for the Little League Softball World Series,” said Sara Thompson, Little League® Director of Softball Development. “It is one of the most exciting venues in all of sports, and has been a place where girls from around the world have come to compete and make lasting memories on the field and off.”

In 1891, Florian Cadonau began delivering milk from his dairy farm just southwest of downtown Portland. In 1916, Cadonau’s son married the daughter of the Swiss consul, and they changed the name of the family farm to Alpenrose, after Switzerland’s national flower.

Opening ceremonies for the 2013 Little League Softball World Series at Alpenrose Stadium.

For nearly 100 years, Portland has expanded around Alpenrose Dairy Farm, and for five generations, the Cadonau family has continued to grow Alpenrose as a working dairy farm and an entertainment complex. In 1956, Henry Cadonau opened a baseball stadium on the ground for his grandchildren. Soon after, a local Little League asked if they could use the facility. In 1994, Little League Softball came calling. Since then, Little League Softball has called Alpenrose home. Of Little League’s nine World Series Tournaments, only the Little League Baseball® World Series and Junior League Baseball World Series have longer tenures at their respective locations.

“Baseball and softball are such an important part of the history of Alpenrose Dairy,” said Carl Cadonau, Jr., Alpenrose Dairy Chief Executive Officer. “We are fortunate to be able to host some of the best softball players in the world at the Little League Softball World Series for the past 20 years, and we look forward to continuing to welcome Little Leaguers to Portland for years to come.”

In 2001, ESPN2 televised the Little League Softball World Series championship for the first time ever. This year, in addition to airing the Championship Game, on Wednesday, Aug. 14 at 8 p.m. eastern time, the two semifinal games at the Little League Softball World Series will also be shown on ESPN2. And while Lamade Stadium has become an icon to Little League Baseball players, Alpenrose has grown to iconic status for Little League Softball players. Earlier this year, the Sports Turf Managers Association selected Alpenrose Stadium as the 2012 Softball Field of the Year.

“The facilities, grounds and people at Alpenrose Dairy and all our volunteers make this a special tournament experience for all the players, coaches and fans,” said Bob Hudlow, Little League Softball World Series Tournament Director. “It is wonderful to have such a high-quality experience available to softball players and fans from around the world here in Portland.”

The 2013 Little League Softball World Series began on Thursday, Aug. 8, in Portland, Ore., with the Championship Game scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 14 at 8 p.m. at Alpenrose Stadium. For more information on the Series and to follow the action live, visit llbws.org